Thursday, September 29, 2016

When we decided to visit the new Costero California Bar and Bistro, located in the Sheraton Gateway, we soon discovered that here casual dining has moved to a new quality level.
As a life time member of the Southern California Restaurant Writers we well remembered Orazio Parisi who was named 'Chef of the Year' in 2012.
Now he is Executive Chef at Costero and has produced an outstanding menu that mixes pizzas with gourmet quality entrees like his lamb chops with an extraordinary port wine sauce or his pan seared scallops atop a bed of couscous, caponata and pancetta vinaigrette
This menu mixes classics like Beef Tenderloin and Bone in ribeye with dishes that display the Chef's Italian background including Cioppino, Seafood Spaghetti and hand rolled garganelli pasta.
The Bistro effect shows through with six pizzas, five salads and thirteen small plates with items like Salmon belly tartare, Chipotle fish tacos and Focaccia bread.
The dessert menu includes Gelatos and Sorbets and a Chocolate-Pistachio cake which was our favorite.
Costero has been designed with a large area devoted to its bar, lounge with a huge wall video as a meeting place to enjoy cocktails and craft beers in a casual atmosphere. The dining room portion is located in its own area with a more relaxed atmosphere and ambiance.
A full page of the large menu is devoted to beverages with 28 wines available by the glass and 42 by the bottle. The selection including many well known California labels but also wines from other countries as well.
The beer selection, equally large, with six draft beers, six local craft on tap and another six bottled craft beers on call.
Costero is located in the Sheraton Gateway Hotel adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport. Address 6101 W Century Blvd. Los Angeles, Telephone 888 627-7104, web www.sheratonlax.com.